Bang & Olufsen, purveyor of high-class home entertainment porn, has added another sleek model to its stable of high-def tellys. And, with a price tag of just £1,800 [excluding stand – this is B&O, after all] this 26in HDTV is considered to be the ‘affordable’ model.
That sleek black and silver finish surrounds a display with a 1366x768 pixel resolution, contrast ratio of 1200:1, a 6ms response time and brightness of 500cd/m2. There’s only one HDMI input though, which I think is just plain stingy for a luxury TV these days. Hell, most other makers offer two now, and some, even three. There’s also no digital TV tuner.
You can expect the BeoVision 8 to sound great though, thanks to two, 2in midrange/tweeter drivers and one 4in center bass loudspeaker driver. The company says that it can even be used as a dedicated PC monitor – jump now for a photo.
Still, you don’t go for B&O for a bargain, and this is a pretty smart looking HDTV from a company with a pedigree in design and quality. You can even get that funky stand if you shell out an extra £200.-Martin Lynch
Monday, April 30, 2007
Bang & Olufsen’s Budget HDTV
Sunday, April 29, 2007
iPods Dished Up In Top UK Restaurant
My ideal restaurant experience tends to be when someone else picks up the tab but, for others, they need a little bit more to get the most out of their nosh.
The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire is now one of the world’s most renowned restaurants, thanks to the mad genius of owner/chef Heston Blumenthal.
The man who’s never adverse to a bit of experimentation has decided iPods and music will enhance its menu. A new dish called ‘Sound of The Sea’ comes with iPods on the side. It is comprised of seaweed, seafood and tapioca, comes served in a wooden box with a surround of sand and seashells and diners are requested to listen to sounds of the sea on the iPods as they chow down.
Talking to Square Meal, Blumenthal said:
“I did a series of tests with Charles Spence at Oxford University three years ago, which revealed that sound can really enhance the sense of taste. We ate an oyster while listening to the sea and it tasted stronger and saltier than when we ate it while listening to barnyard noises, for example.”
No, you don’t get to keep the iPods.
19in HDTV For Bathroom Hogs
For those that like long baths or can't face missing even a minute of glorious day-time TV, you might want one of these. This is Envirovision’s 19in HDTV for bathrooms, guaranteed to look good on the wall and not kill you when you slosh water all over it.
You can get the TV with ceiling mount speakers – again waterproof – on with internal waterproofed speakers. There’s also an impressive range of colours, from single-bloke shiny black to Diva gold and available with or without a mirrored display.
On the technical front, the display has a resolution of 1440 x 900, a contrast ratio of 800:1, 3ms response time and connections that include HDMI, Scart and PC. Prices start at £999. See one installed after the jump.
Slouchpod: The Gamer's Beanbag
If beanbags had a version 2.0, the Slouchpad would be it. A gamer's dream, it has two built-in 5Watt RMS speakers and a 10Watt RMS Sub Woofer for those outta-the-chair moments when you're playing Gears Of War. And it's not just gamer-friendly, as you can plug just about anything into it from MP3 players to TV, DVD and your laptop.
The Slouchpad comes in six colors, including classic black, cream and red, and the more nausea-inducing lilac, pink and white. The price is £299, a bargain at under £300. – Ad Dugdale
GeekMan: For the Geek Who Has it All
If having buff action figures on your desk reminds you of your own flaccid muscular structure, then this Geek Man figure will make you feel like Dolph Lundgren. Complete with a BlackBerry, a Windows (Acer? Lenovo?) PC, an analog watch, coffee mug and gigantic spectacles, the Geek Man really does remind us to get out, exercise and play with some real-life people once in a while.
Maybe if you put him in a drawer with that slut Malibu Stacy, you'll have some Geek kids soon as well. – Jason Chen
Nintendo Sells Nearly 6 Million Wiis
It’s all champagne and caviar at Nintendo this week, following astronomical results. Hard to believe they could actually have been better, but they could if only there had been a little more Wii to go around. .
In five months Nintendo has managed to ship 5.84 million Wiis [just short of its 6m goal but still mental]. Even despite the fact that it’s half the price of the PS3, it shows that Sony’s sales of under 2 million PS3s in roughly the same timeframe points to some trouble. Check the latest console sales stats - at least for the US - here.
Still, Nintendo could have sold a lot more if its production set-up had been better. Nintendo has even predicted that it will hit 20 million Wiis sold by this time in 2008. That’s a phenomenal number, if it manages to pull it off. In fact, it really needs to sort out that chronic supply problem.
The company has been producing one million units a months but admitted that it’s along way off fulfilling demand. Even with new plans to produce 14 million units this year, it’s warning that it will not be enough.-Martin Lynch
Wi-Fi Bad For Kids Again: Possibly, Sort Of
Following on from last week’s scare into Wi-Fi being potentially harmful for kids, today we have another one, with a leading government advisor claiming that kids should not place laptops on their laps when using Wi-Fi.
This stuff has more than a whiff of similarity to the ‘mobile phone/radiation’ scares. This time, Professor Lawrie Challis, who heads the committee on mobile phone safety research, told the Daily Telegraph that laptops on kid’s laps put them too close to the transmitter and exposes them to mobile phone levels of radiation. He said:
“With a desktop computer, the transmitter will be in the tower. This might be perhaps 20cms from your leg and the exposure would then be around one per cent of that from a mobile phone. However if you put a laptop straight on your lap and are using Wi-Fi, you could be around 2cms from the transmitter, and receiving comparable exposure to that from a mobile phone.”
Half of UK schools are currently equipped with Wi-Fi networks and teachers are now weighing in on the subject. The Professional Association of Teachers is writing to the education secretary for confirmation that Wi-Fi is not harmful.
That means you can expect to see yet another Wi-Fi safety report commissioned for a few million quid and, in about two years and after numerous delays, it will deliver either contradictory or inconclusive results, leading to - yes, you guessed it - another pricey report. Expect this hot potato to run and run.-Martin Lynch
BBC And ITV In HDTV Alliance: Hell Freezes Over After All
I realise there’s a lot of acronyms in that headline but bear with me. The BBC has just gotten permission from its overlords – the BBC Trust – to do a deal with a minor demon (ITV) in an effort to claw back some of the fledgling high-def TV market (HDTV) market from the Lord of Darkness itself (Sky).
The service, called Freesat, will launch next Spring and will offer consumers 200 channels of standard and high-def material with no subscription fees. Woo-hoo! Consumers will have a choice of equipment including both SD and HD receivers, a HD personal video recorder and an integrated digital television. This is good news and provides at least some form of future-proofing for Freeview. The Freesat service promises to fill any current Freeview coverage gaps and, as mentioned, will have no subscription charges.
Since I’m just about to pop my HD cherry with pricey Sky HD, I just wish they could have moved a bit quicker. How much the Freesat dish and installation will cost though, is still a mite fuzzy.-Martin Lynch
Sci-Fi PC Chair Reduces Fatigue [And Bank Balance]
Just what kind of chair do you need for comfortable computing becuse it seems sitting upright is just so yesterday's news. We now have gaming chairs for social lepers and computer beds designed to ensure that you might never leave the house again.
Today, we have a stylish new sci-fi addition to the wacky computer desk/chair club. The forthcoming [hopefully] G-Tech Neber chair is currently on show in Korea. It’s very sleek and probably very expensive but just look at all the chrome and clock-like structure with more than a passing nod to the Matrix movies - just without the 8-inch spike in the base of the skull.
The curved spine allows for different seating positions and the company claims it’s ergonomically sound by providing plenty of support for your back, wrists, head, arms and feet. In fact, one of the company’s selling points is it can help ‘reduce fatigue’. But then, that’s probably because you’re lying down to start with.-Martin Lynch
PlayStation Eye Arrives This Summer
Sony is hoping to out-do the entertainment value of the original EyeToy by announcing the PlayStation Eye for the PS3, which will arrive here this summer. Newer games [Eye Of Judgment] and some online services are coming to make full use of the tech. In the meantime it’s a decently specified motion-sensing Web-cam with some ‘advanced’ audio tech crammed in.
It can record video at an impressive 120fps [320 x 240] or 60fps [640 x 480]. No HD support but then this is hardly surprising in a Web-cam. There’s a two-position zoom lens for close-up and full body options and the Eye has been designed to cope well in low-light conditions.
It sports four in-built microphones which Sony claims greatly reduces echo and background noise, meaning audio chat remains clear even in noisy environments.
Playstation Eye will come bundled with free EyeCreate editing software, that allows you save, edit and add visual effects. These videos can be captured directly to the PS3’s hard disk drive and capture modes include slow motion and time-lapse. No price yet.-Martin Lynch
Friday, April 27, 2007
Idea Cellular Registers 65% Profit
Idea Cellular, India’s fourth largest GSM cellular service provider has had a phenomenal fourth quarter in terms of the revenue generated. The company claims the profit margin has risen by 133.23 per cent rise. This adds up to an estimated Rs 132.01 crore.
Last year the company had recorded the total profit to be Rs 584.86 crore, this year the company stands at a total profit of Rs 855.54 crore.
On the other hand, IBM had received a ten-year outsourcing contract from the Aditya Birla owned mobile network operator. The deal is estimated to be worth between USD 600 -800 million.
Under the terms of the deal, IBM will handle services like billing, revenue assurance, credit collection and subscriber management, and manage the IT infrastructure of India’s fifth largest mobile operator.
This move only depicts India’s maturity and skyrocketing economy. Many Indian companies have reached a stage where they can themselves outsource operations to multinational companies.
Source : http://www.sda-india.com
TV Show Wants Gadget-Freaks
How much do you love your gadgets? Are they a necessary evil or the only reason you don’t top yourself on a regular basis?
If the answer is closer to the latter [a large chunk of obsessive Gizmodo readers] then a new BBC2 programme being commissioned could be your chance to spout lovingly about your obsession and, get on the tube at the same time.
Celador Productions, of ‘You Are What You Eat’, fame has been commissioned by the Beeb to do a documentary on consumer luxuries, with a big chunk devoted to gadgets and those that love them madly, and unhealthily.
Those geeks chosen will get to travel afar and see how their fave toys are made. All you have to do is convince Kimberley at kgodbolt@celador.co.uk that you’re the geek for them. Saddle up Gizmodo readers, it's time to get famous.-Martin Lynch
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
SOLID SIGNAL OFFERS HUNDREDS OF CELL PHONE ACCESSORIES FOR CUSTOMERS
West Bloomfield, MI– A recent study from the Consumer Electronics Association found that the U.S. market for consumer-electronics accessories is expected to grow more than 11 percent in 2007. Solid Signal owner Jerry Chapmans says he anticipates this growth and looks forward to helping customers find cell phone accessories to meet their needs.
Solid Signal sells hundreds of cell phone accessories and offers many unique products to enhance customers’ technology.
•Kyocera Bluetooth Rearview Mirror Car Kit: For a safe and effective way to talk while in the car, a review mirror car kit can help. Mounting directly over most standard rear-view mirrors, this safety anti-glare mirror offers full hands-free functionality along with DSP technology for echo and noise cancellation. See http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=TXCKT10136
•Cell phone booster: If you’re part of the 35% of wireless phone users having trouble maintaining cell phone signal strength inside your home or office, a cell phone signal booster is the cell phone accessory you can’t live without. Covering approximately 2,500 square feet, The Wireless Extender from Wi-Ex boosts the cell phone signal inside your home or office. See http://www.solidsignal.com/tech_help_YX500-PCS.asp
•Marine Antenna: Still need access to your phone while enjoying a relaxing afternoon boating? Digital Antenna’s 2.4GHz premium quality 10dB gain omni-directional antennas achieve optimal signal range on 802.11 b/g wireless LANs, Bluetooth and multipoint radio equipment where high gain and wide coverage is desired. Relax knowing you won’t miss a call. See http://www.solidsignal.com/cat_display.asp?main_cat=07&CAT=RV/Marine%20Antennas
•Extended life cell phone batteries: Tired of having to charge your cell phone daily or even several times a day? An extended cell phone battery is a low cost way to increase the life of your battery – and phone. See http://www.solidsignal.com/cat_display.asp?main_cat=07&CAT=Cell%20Phone%20Batteries
The study also found 97% of consumers who purchased items online were satisfied with their experience.
“While Solid Signal is an internet retailer, the team still remembers the importance of communication and personal service,” Chapman says. “And as an online retailer, SolidSignal.com is able to offer hundreds of cell phone accessories and provide advice to help our customers choose the right product to enhance their cell phone.”
Solid Signal was founded in 2002 to help customers find new solutions to enhance technology. The company is an Internet Retailer Top 500 and offers its customers thousands of products, including cell phone accessories, to help distribute high-quality, digital audio and video to a variety of different media outlets. For more information, visit www.solidsignal.com/antennas or blog.solidsignal.com.
Top 15 Tips to Get Most Out of N91 Music Phone
Nokia released its N91 smartphone in the U.S. market not too long ago - in June - (see our review) a couple of months after the Finnish phone maker started shipping the music phone in Europe and over a year after its introduction. The company has now compiled the Top 15 Tips for getting a better user experience out of the N91 and keeping it up-to-date.
Tips range from hot to manage memory, battery life, and software to using and updating the Nokia Audio Manager and PC suite and much more. There’s even a tip on how to accelerate SMS messaging.
Just last week, the Finnish phone maker unveiled three updates to previously available Nseries phone models: the N70, N73 and - yep - the N91. The upgrades are part what's called the Nokia Nseries Music Range, with Black chassis’s all around, additional software for easier synchronization and music management and more storage in all three models. For the N73 that means Nokia now bundles a 2 GB memory card and the N70 a 1 GB card. The N91's Microdrive has been doubled to 8 GBs. It is slated to go for 550 Euros (about $702) sometime later in the year, with no word yet on American availability. So it could be sometime before the hard drive-based smartphone ships in the U.S.
In the meantime, see below to learn how to get the most out of the version of the N91 that's available now. These tips, developed by blogger Andy Abramson, will most likely equally apply to the N91 8GB as the 4 GB version - whenever it is released.
1) PC suite: Always use the latest PC suite. They are always issuing improvements etc. The PC suite issued with the early N91's (6.80.22 SW (software) versions 1.xx N91's) has issues with handling data over 1.5 GB etc. and should be replaced with 6.81.13 or later. You can get the latest PC suite from here, or other local regional sites.
2) PC suite , Nokia Audio Manager: PC suite was designed for phones with 64-512 MB cards, not mobile computers (Nokia's name for smartphones) with 4 GB of memory. It is good for managing contacts, calendar etc. but not for managing the content on your HDD (Music, Images, Applications etc). Nokia audio Manager - same comment. Users should avoid using PCsuite/NAM to manage large amounts of content and keep it solely for managing the phones ROM (C drive). Note also when using PC suite do not start running applications (Gallery, etc) during the PC suite session. Use USB mass storage for managing your Music, Movies, Images etc and/or Windows Media Player (for Music). Note also that PC suite runs in the background on your PC so often when you plug in the N91 to use USB mass storage or WMP a pop up comes up saying " PC suite - N91 connected in non compatible mode please change from UI" ignore this (it is only applicable if you want to use PC suite).
3) SW update (refresh) at home: Always use the latest N91 SW (currently 2.00). Like your PC Nokia is always issuing improvements and even new features sometimes (ex: WDRM came with 2.00 SW). The update process is simple and can be done here : www.nokia.co.uk/softwareupdate . This is a UK site, however it has all the languages, operator and country variants for the world. Read the "phone SW update FAQ's" there. The updater will recognize the version of your N91 (country, operator) and look for the SW. If there is a new version it will tell you, if not then you have the option of reloading the current SW (i.e. if you wanted to start "fresh" again) or try later. Do not disconnect, answer/make phone calls etc during the process. It has worked well for thousands of people so far. I suspect other sites in other languages will roll out eventually if you are uncomfortable doing the process in English. Also if your SW is not there it may be that your operator or country has not approved it yet. Keep trying. You can check you SW version by typing *#0000#.
4) HDD Users Guide : Nokia has now issued a HDD maintenance guide. Go to europe.nokia.com and select - Get support then from the list of phones select Nokia N91 there select User guides and from the list of languages select English. Then download the PDF. It has data about backing up and restoring (i.e. when to use PC suite and when no to), SW updates (goes through how to prepare for a SW update ), Themes and other Tips. Alot of the tips from before seem to be in here. Also copying contacts to HDD has issues with 1.xx SW on GSM only China units (from Blogs), not on WCDMA units. Note WDRM rights will not be saved with a backup-restore (MSFT rules) but usually when you buy a song you get multiple synchs so it is usually not a problems.
5) SMS accelerator : Nokia has issued an application that improves the speed of your SMS messaging. Heavy SMS users have complained about SMS messaging getting sluggish over time. This fixes it and keep sms fast. It's recommended that everyone install this and re-install this after any SW update or user reset (e.g. use of *#7370). It is available here.
6) Battery Life: If you do not care about WCDMA (3G) then in tools/settings/network - SWitch from DUAL to GSM. Make sure your WLAN "show availability" in Tools/Connection is set to "never". Do not leave Bluetooth On unless you are using it for an accessory. Do not set the HDD as your "memory in use" for messaging (SMS, MMS). HDD is not optimized for messaging. Avoid these fancy 3D active screen savers,
7) Profiles : I just leave the keypad tones off. It seems people in the past had issues with this so just leave them off on profiles. Also using the vibra in profiles that had a short beep as the message or ringtone caused problems with 1.xx SW
8) Messaging Memory: Do not set the HDD as your "memory in use" for messaging (SMS, MMS). In addition to reducing battery life - its slow (HDD buffering is optimized for Video, Music playback), you have to switch back to the phone memory each time you want to use mass storage to connect to PC. In short why keep a bunch of messages on you phone anyhow?
9) Hard resets: If you get you phone into real trouble there are two resets available. Note these should be treated as a SW update (i.e. you will lose data on your phone memory so back it up). Follow the standard backup procedure for you phone before dong this (take a look at the HDD guide TIP section). The first one is *#7370# (Code 12345), it will restore the phones memory and clean it up. If you have managed to get the phone to a state where it will not even boot up then - Press and hold simultaneously Green, 3 and * and then press simultaneously power key.
10) Gallery: When you have loaded new content via USB, after a SW update, hard resets, after removing the battery or the occasional reset the Gallery takes a while to open up (if you have alot of content it could be ~ 5-10 minutes). This is a one-off thing so be patient let it update its database and then after that it should be alot faster. The progress bar is a barber-pole thingy that does not give a very good indication (just spins). Be patient it has not crashed or hung-up just let it finish.
11) "Out of Memory": The Web browser is great but it does not handle its memory very well. At some point the web browser may issue an "Out of memory" message. This has nothing to do with the HDD memory but rather the RAM memory. Closing applications may help but it seems to work best if you simply power cycle the device (clean up RAM) before using OSS. Each SW release seems to improve this situation so its another reason to always update to the latest SW.
12) Pausing while playing a song: This happens sometimes when the file has been corrupted somewhat (during ripping, download) etc. Some songs that will play on the PC may pause on the N91. It is rare however it requires the song be ripped again.
13) "HDD unavailable" etc.: In older versions of SW it was possible to get this and even with 2.xx it can happen (more rare). Make sure the battery cover is on fully (and its magnet is not damaged - check the little box in the battery cover with a paper clip for the magnet). Make sure USB cable is not connected. Make sure you are not running any applications that are using the HDD. Sometimes 3rd party apps it seems have been found to leave a file open on the HDD even when closed and then this can happen - you may have to uninstall that app. Some apps screw up there databases and it looks like a HDD issue. Finally if none of this works then you may have to do a HDD format, or a SW update/refresh or hard reset to clean out any offending applications.
14) Gallery cant see data, content missing: PC suite can cause this if you were using this for content (PC suite looks like it finished the transfer but you have to look at the correct window in PC suit for progress..another reason why it should not be used for content management). In some cases you need to
15) Common sense and INFO: Some common sense things - do not disconnect USB cable in the middle of a transfer (disconnect properly). Don’t try and pop the battery out while accessing the HDD. The HDD can survive drops (in testing dropped >300 times) but if you are determined to abuse the N91 something will break eventually. N91-1 (WCDMA device Silver with light blue for Europe, Dark grey for APAC). N91-5 (GSM for APAC - Silver with light blue), N91 (GSM for China Silver with dark grey). RM43 is a type number for WCDMA units, RM158 is the type number for GSM only units. Yes its a 3G device (with no front facing camera), you can do video calls but it requires some flipping back and forth...the device was not optimized for Video calls (its focus was/is music). It has WLAN. It supports many different vide codecs etc. (go to N91 FAQ and type in video) etc.
More on N91
Other than some software changes, a roomier hard drive and some cosmetic differences, the 4 and 8 gig N91s are most likely otherwise the same. They both run on the Symbian OS and S60 smartphone platform. There's a 3.5 mm stereo jack for headphones right on the phone, so there's no need for dongles, and it bundles a headset and remote control.
The N91 also has dedicated keys for its audio player functions, which support the MP3, M4A, WMA, AAC, AAC+ and eAAC+ music formats. An industry standard mini USB 2.0 port makes transferring files fast and easy. There's also Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity.
Of course, Nokia bundles music management software with the smartphone. Drag and drop your personal music collection from your PC to your Nokia N91 or synchronize your recent music purchases with your PC. You can also create and manage your playlists directly on your Nokia N91, or shuffle songs around to build your optimal listening experience.
Other audio features include an 8-band equalizer, an FM radio, and the capability to download music files over the air. Wireless features include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi plus a GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz) cellular radio.
The N91 has a 2-megapixel camera for up to 1600 x 1200 still images and video. Its screen runs at 176 x 208 pixels. At 4.5 x 2.2 x 0.9 inches (113.1 x 55.2 x 22 millimeters) and 5.8 ounces (164 grams) the smartphone is much smaller than the relatively bulky N90 camera phone.
The lithium ion battery is said to last for up to 10 hours of music playback, 190 hours standby time, and 3 to 4 hours talk time.
Connect Your Nokia NSeries Smartphone to Flickr
Nokia has partnered with Flickr to bundle access to the photo service site with some of its NSeries smartphones. With Flickr onboard users can share more than one photo at a time and upload high resolution pictures taken with their smartphone right up to the Web site.
Flickr has posted instructions on how to sign up for an account and get started for the supported NSeries smartphones. Below is the photo-sharing destinationfs explanation for the N73. There are also pages devoted to connecting the N70 Music Edition, N72, N80 Internet Edition, N93, and N93i to Flickr.
Connect a N73 to Flickr:
1. Setup
1. Go to "Gallery" ¨ "Images & Video"
2. Choose "Options" ¨ "Open Online Service"
2. Select Service
1. Choose "Create New Flickr Account"
Don't see Flickr here?
OK. That means you need to grab a config file to put on your device. Click this link and save the config file to your desktop. (Need help? Check out the FAQ.)
3. Create The New Account
1. Enter an "Account Name" (this is a name for your reference, free text)
2. The "Service Provider" is Flickr
3. Enter your username and password (Sign up for an account or sign in to get these bits.)
4. Choose an image size for uploads (optional)
4. Connect to the Flickr Service
1. Say "Yes" (you'd like to retrieve the service)
5. Done!
1. Now you can send photos from your N73 straight to Flickr.
Here are the upload instructions.
Upgrade Nokia PC Suite Software
Nokia PC Suite is the mobile phone company's Windows software that allows users of its cell phones and smartphones to securely edit, store, and synchronize handset data with a desktop computer through a wireless or wired connection. Recently updated to version 6.82, Nokia PC Suite now includes the enhancements and improvements:
# Updated listing of network operators in One Touch Access
# Increased stability and reliability for the main window of Nokia PC Suite
# Stability fixes for backup and restore
# Improved mobile music experience with Nokia Music Manager
# Update your phone software with Nokia Software Updater
# Added fluency in information exchange between Nokia phones and Microsoft applications (such as Windows Media Player 11) with Windows Portable Device (WPD) driver support
If you don't have the latest version of Nokia's PC Suite, we recommend you download it from here. You'll also find instructions on how to load and use the application as well. On this page you can determine which of the application's features your cell phone or smartphone supports.
Nokia PC Suite Main Windows
Today's report follows news from a couple of weeks ago where the phone maker finally made its Nokia Software Updater more widely available. This service aims to make it easier for users of its cell phones and smartphones to learn the enhancements and updates available for the system software on their mobile handsets.
Users can obtain the software upgrades there as well. In the past, you had to trek down to a Nokia service center and have these operations performed for you in-store.
Easy (Nearly Free) Way to Make Ringtones
A new service from Myxer allows users to turn any song into a ringtone for their smartphone or cell phone—all for the cost of a text message.
Called MyxerTones, the service asks you to choose a track from your computer to upload to Myxer's server and enter your cell phone number. Once the file is uploaded, it SMSs you a link to where the new tone can be downloaded.
You must have Internet access with your smartphone to make this work.
I just tried Myxer. It took about 20 seconds for the audio file to upload and less than five seconds for me to receive the text message with the link to my new ringtone. 
Next, I tapped the link in the text message to download the tone. MyxerTones attempts to figure out what ringtone format would work best for your particular handset. If it can't, the service offers a dropdown menu to allow you to download your tone as either an MP3, AAC, MMF, QCP, AWB, AMR or WAV file — one of which should work with your device.
To know for sure, I recommend you check the documentation that came with your handset.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
FDL to give mobile users option to list
Fiji's 280,000 mobile phone subscribers from next year will have the option of listing their numbers in the Fiji Directory.
The mobile listing will cost $5 and will enable subscribers to list their numbers if they wish, Amalgamated Telephone Holding Ltd, acting chief executive officer, Tomasi Vakatora said.
He says that as new players enter the market, it will actually develop the market further for this service.
"It has been designed in anticipation that if there are other players in the market, people who subscribe to these other services can also come to Fiji Directory and also apply to list their numbers so it can also be in the telephone directory.
"We are already positioning ourselves for that," he said.
He says that because Fiji Directories Ltd is an ATH company, it does not necessarily mean limiting the services to ATH companies like Vodafone (mobile phone service provider) and Telecom Fiji (provider of land line services).
"The service is available. Pay the fee just like anybody else. There will be no preferential treatment for our customers or customers of competitors."
Moreover, Vakatora says that if they continue offering this service for free it may mean doubling or tripling the size of the current telephone directory because of the huge number of mobile phone subscribers.
Vakatora believes it would be particularly useful for people who have prepaid numbers because "right now when you go to buy prepaid phones, you get the phone, they give you a number and off you go".
Forms are already available in post offices across the country if mobile phone subscribers wish to apply to have the numbers listed from 2008 onwards.
Vakatora believes the $5 mobile listing is relatively cheap. "It is permanent for the whole year and works out to be a little more than 40 cents a month."
On how much revenue Fiji Directories will earn, Vakatora says there has been no projection as yet "but it should be sufficient to meet our cost"
"We hope it is going to be a good revenue source for us," he said.
And what happens if you lose your mobile, or your number is delisted?
Vakatora admits that it is not entirely risk free.
"Of course, people on prepaid tend to delist. Sometimes they don't renew and the numbers get redundant and it gets used by other people. It is a risk you take," he said.
Still he believes that there is sufficient number of people who are long term users on prepaid basis and that they will want to list their numbers because they are fairly certain they will remain connected to the network.
ATH owns 90 per cent of FDL while Edward H O'Brien (Fiji) Ltd owns the remaining 10 per cent shares.
'Do Not Call List' Expanded to 132M U.S. Phone Numbers
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Almost 25 million phone numbers were added to the federal government's Do Not Call list in fiscal 2006, demonstrating that more and more Americans don't want their dinners disturbed by telemarketers.
The national Do Not Call registry had 132 million phone numbers as of September 2006, a 23 percent increase from the previous year, the Federal Trade Commission said in a report released Thursday. Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC's bureau of consumer protection, has cited the humorist Dave Barry's observation that Do Not Call is "the most popular government program since the Elvis stamp."
Consumers can add their numbers to the list, created after Congress passed legislation in 2003, through a government Web site or by calling a toll-free number. But early adopters will have to go through the process again in about a year since numbers added to the list expire after five years.
The agency said the program's primary goal of reducing unwanted telemarketing calls is succeeding, largely due to a "high degree of compliance by telemarketers." The report notes that while roughly 1.15 million complaints were received in fiscal 2006 from 374,937 registered phone numbers, that was the equivalent of only about one-quarter of 1 percent of the numbers in the database. The FTC has taken enforcement actions in 28 cases since the program's inception, resulting in $7.6 million in penalties and $8.2 million in redress payments and forfeitures.
Most of those penalties were paid by DirecTV Group Inc., a satellite television provider, as part of the largest settlement reached in the program's history. DirecTV agreed to pay $5.3 million in December 2005 to settle charges that it and several telemarketing companies it hired had allegedly called numbers on the Do Not Call list. The company said then that it had stopped working with those telemarketers and taken steps to avoid calling numbers on the list.
Telemarketers are required to pay an annual subscription fee to access the FTC list so those numbers can be blocked from their dial-out programs. The companies also must update their own calling lists every 31 days to ensure there are no numbers from the registry on it. Organizations engaged in charitable, political or survey work are exempt.
The FTC's report said that 6,824 companies and other entities paid $21.7 million in fees to access the database in fiscal year 2006. All told, 15,218 entities have paid $59 million in fees to access the database since the program's inception.
800 number connects to phone sex, not glass shop
SPARTA -- The phones at Crown Glass in Sparta don't ring as often as they once did. That's because the small shop's phone number is missing from the new AT&T phone book. The 800 number that is listed belongs to a phone sex line.
"I'm afraid it's probably going to put me out of business," worries glass company owner Marilyn Sidlauskas.
Crown Glass cancelled the 800 number in 2005, but it has remained in the phone book. An AT&T spokesperson said that's because 800 customers also have to contact the phone book people when they cancel their service.
"Really?" said Sidlauskas. "I never knew that. They didn't tell me."
So she didn't cancel the 800 number with the directory service. That could explain why the number won't go away, but it doesn't explain why her local phone number did. AT&T blames it on the local phone company, UTMI, which supplies Crown Glass' actual phone number. AT&T said local carriers have to supply the phone numbers of their customers to AT&T Directory Service.
But UTMI said it does that routinely, sending customer numbers to AT&T in a big database. A spokesman doubted that Crown Glass' number could have somehow fallen out of the database.
Target 8 Investigators checked last year's phone book. The local phone number made it in along with that tenacious 800 number.
The fact is there is nothing Sidlauskas can do to get her real phone number, (616) 887-7004, into the phone book until next year.
She did manage to get her real number listed with Directory Assistance - but she still can't erase the 800 number. "AT&T could not cancel that number with Directory Assistance because that number no longer belongs to them," said Sidlauskas. "They told me I had to contact my local telephone company, which I did. And they never had the 800 number, so they can't cancel it.
"And so then I called PrimeTel, which has the 800 number now, and they can't cancel it because I am not their customer."
The Michigan Public Service Commission regulates phone service. But it is no help, either, because, according to a spokesperson, it does not regulate phone books.
So when people call the 800 number in the phone book next to Crown Glass' name they continue to be directed to a phone sex line offering "wild one-on-one adventure."
"I'm in the glass business," Sidlauskas said, "and I don't want to be in that other business."
Direct mobile numbers to be banned in Russia
The Russian Ministry of Informational Technologies and Communications is going to amend the "Rules of usage and allocation of numeration resources" in order to forbid mobile operators to distribute direct phone numbers among their clients.
Starting January 1 2006 mobile phone operators were banned from owning direct numbers, but entrepreneurs found a way out: they rented phone numbers from fixed line providers, so that their subscribers could conclude a trilateral agreement with mobile and fixed line operators. The new act prohibits rental of direct numbers as numeration resources should be used for rendering of communication services in the operator's network only.
However, the next day after the amendments were announced, the Ministry issued a clarification saying that fixed line providers must give a share of telephone numbers to mobile operators, who in their turn must possess a license for local communication. Experts say that all the biggest mobile phone operators have such a license; thus, the vast majority of subscribers will keep their direct numbers.
One more digit added to fixed phone numbers
VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Post and Telematics (MPT) is going to add one more digit to fixed phone numbers in Vietnam as of September 1, 2007.
Accordingly, the current six-digit fixed phone numbers will be added number 3 to have seven digit, for example from xxxxxx to 3.xxxxxx.
However, the MPT allows fixed phone service providers to delay this task depending on their conditions but they must report the delay to the ministry by late April.
Adding one more number to the current fixed phone numbers is a measure to increase the volume of phone numbers, according to MPT. Some phone service providers like the Corporation for Financing and Promoting Technology (FPT), the Vietnam Post and Telecommunication Group (VNPT), and EVN Telecom have asked for more fixed phone numbers.
Five provincial post offices of VNPT have already used seven-digit fixed phone numbers, including Hanoi, HCM City, Hai Phong, Dong Nai, and Nghe An to meet the development of fixed phone subscribers.
Newark school admin phone numbers change
NEWARK -- As the Newark City School District transitions to an Internet phone service, numbers at the Administrative Service Center have changed.
Through the end of June, calls made to existing numbers at the district's downtown office will be forwarded to a recording with the new phone numbers.
Numbers in other buildings will change as the district's building plans continue. New buildings will open on the phone system, and existing buildings will be added to the system as they are renovated.
The district is moving to the phone system as a way to save money, and district officials say they expect to save enough within the next two to three years to cover the costs of installing the system.
New numbers at the administration office include (all have 740 area codes):
# Main line: 670-7000
# Superintendent: 670-7005
# Assistant Superintendent: 670-7002
# Treasurer: 670-7010
# Special education: 670-7030
# Certificated personnel: 670-7040
# Classified personnel and support services: 670-7045
# Curriculum: 670-7055
First Look: Nokia's 5-Megapixel Camera Phone
With GPS, Wi-Fi, music, video, and a 5-megapixel camera, Nokia's N95 does it all. At $750, it had better.
Can one device really do it all? I've had my doubts, but Nokia's new N95 might yet sway me. We'll update this review with a final rating once our battery testing is complete, but in my early look at this multipurpose phone, I found a promising device with premium features: WCDMA HSDPA, and quad-band GSM connectivity; GPS; 802.11g Wi-Fi; a music player; stereo speakers; and a 5-megapixel camera.
Not surprisingly, the N95 carries a premium price to match: $750 for the unlocked phone that will be shipped shortly via Nokia's direct sales site.
The first thing that impressed me about the N95 was its design. Though it will rank among the largest phones we've tested for our Top 10 Cell Phones chart, the N95 is lightweight (4.2 ounces, according to Nokia). It felt comfortable to hold in my small hand, in spite of its 2.2-by-3.9-by-0.8-inch dimensions. The phone's 2.6-inch, 240-by-320-pixel (QVGA), 16-million color display can be oriented vertically or horizontally (more on that later), and displays sharp text and bright, colorful images.
Design
The phone's dual-slider design helps the device better accommodate its phone and multimedia playback needs. Slide the display portion of the phone up to reveal a numeric keypad with generously sized, easy-to-press keys. Slide it all the way down, and the screen and button orientation shifts to horizontal (the N95's large screen is a huge benefit when playing videos)--and at the top of the phone you'll see four multimedia playback buttons (for play/pause, forward, back, and stop). The slider design impressed me: It felt solidly constructed and convenient to move one-handed, even with my weakling thumb.
The N95 runs the Symbian Series 60 operating system. The icons and displays are mostly attractive, well-organized, and easy to navigate. You can browse through the phone's animated menus using its five-way button navigation pad and several surrounding buttons. My one major complaint with the software interface: The language is unclear when you're trying to save a picture or video. Nowhere among the diverse options does it say "save"; rather, it says "New Image"--which translates to saving the image or video and letting you take another. While I appreciate the shortcut to taking additional images, sometimes I might want to save the image only to the included 2GB microSD card, and not to the included 160MB of memory, for example--and for those circumstances, the lack of a save option becomes noticeable.
Taking Pictures--or Video
From the back, the N95 looks just like a slim point-and-shoot camera. To use the flash-enabled camera, simply slide open the Zeiss lens cover. The camera app starts automatically, and you have your choice of capturing up to 5 megapixel still images, or VGA video at 30 frames per second. When holding the phone as a camera, you have a dedicated button at the top right for snapping pix, and the volume up/down keys double in camera mode to adjust the 20X digital zoom. I found the images I captured to be lively and far better quality than those from other camera phones, but I haven't compared its output side-by-side with a dedicated point-and-shoot camera yet. My initial impression from limited use is that image purists, like myself, will prefer the images generated by a dedicated camera.
Other camera-related niceties worth mentioning: You can transfer images via Bluetooth (I had no problems pairing the N95 with my Palm Treo 650 to do so), multimedia text message, or even send them directly to a Flickr or Vox photo sharing account.
Making Calls
As a phone, the N95 was good. According to those I spoke with on the N95, I sounded great; however, voices sounded a bit thin to me. I had no difficulties hearing the other party, but even when the volume was pumped up, the audio was not as robust as I'd have liked. The speakerphone is sufficiently loud and clear, and it is easy to invoke and deactivate while on a call.
Nokia rates the phone's battery for up to 210 minutes of talk time for GSM, and 215 hours of standby time. We'll update this review with a final rating once the PC World Test Center completes its battery life tests.
So Many Features...
The N95 has almost too many other features to concisely enumerate them all. Standard functions include e-mail (SMTP, IMAP4, POP3), text messaging, Web browsing, and support for viewing e-mail attachments in .doc, .xls, .ppt, and .pdf formats. But I also enjoyed using the device to listen to music (you can even build playlists on the fly) and watch videos via the preloaded RealPlayer app. Music sounded good, even when piped through the modest built-in stereo speakers. Videos were fun to watch, though I noticed some hesitations when I played 4MB gymnastics videos encoded using RealVideo. The phone comes with links to YouTube Mobile's beta, but it's unclear from this beta implementation how much content you'll really have access to on the phone. The N95 supports an array of formats, including MP3, AAC, M4A, WMA for music, and MPEG-4, H.264/AVC, H.263/3GPP, and RealVideo 8/9/10 for video.
Transferring content is simple: The phone appears as a USB mass storage device when connected to your PC using its a built-in mini-USB 2.0 port. Unfortunately the phone's pre-configured folders don't make it clear where you should put your music or video files.
The integrated GPS runs Nokia's own Nokia Maps app. Once I've had a chance to test this feature, I'll refresh this review with my experiences.
I can't give the N95 an official PC World rating just yet because our Test Center hasn't finished putting it through its paces. However, on my personal scale, with 10 as the highest score, I'd give this versatile phone an 8. I really liked its responsiveness and buttons, but it missed perfection because it lacks a touch screen.
In spite of my few nits, I've enjoyed using the Nokia N95. It's the first phone I've seen in a while that does a great job at combining style with function. Now, if only it weren't priced at $750--that alone is one very considerable reason to think twice about buying this phone that does it all.
Cell phone conversations you'd rather not hear
Okay. Right here. Not too crowded. I have about two hours until boarding. My book, a bottle of water, some roasted almonds and this chair. Flip open the pages. Where was I? ''I'm right here. It's OK. I love you. I will never leave you …''
Hold on one minute. Who is this and what's she doing with that cell pho ... oh, jeez.
''It was just beautiful … only seven minutes from the beach … only $4,300 a month … it's mostly decorated already so I just have to move in my stuff in and I'll be all set…''
Is she really going to have this personal conversation in front of everyone in Terminal F at O'Hare? Is this how God intended us to use cell phones? I don't think so.
For those who are unsure, here's why we have them: To make required, absolutely necessary, must-do, have-to-update-you-right-now or have-to-respond-to-this-voicemail-right-away calls that are necessary to keep our lives running smoothly. That's it. There is no other reason to use a cell phone. None. Certainly not for information like this:
''I mean, I hate it where I am. I don't need to be treated that way. If they treated me better I'd work there for free! But I have people working for me who make $8 an hour … you get what you pay for, right? I have to type my own letters, do all my own paperwork and I'm seeing about 15 patients a day…''
Wait just another minute. This woman is a doctor? Aren't doctors kind of -- I don't know -- educated? If that's true, how does she not understand how annoying it is for the rest of us to hear every blessed detail of her life? Is that too obtuse a concept?
Back to my book. ''The next morning's meditation is a disaster. Desperate, I beg my mind to please step aside and let me find God …''
''…and there's this nude beach nearby (I'm guessing near her new house, not near her office). But everyone there is old like me so I don't really know who would go!''
This is insane. Everyone should be required to know the unwritten rules about using cell phones in public. The most important one states that the longest conversation you may have when others are in earshot will last no more than three minutes, and that's only if you're saying good night to a spouse, three children and the dog before hanging up. Even then, most of those conversations should include one or more of the following words or phrases: ''traffic,'' ''delayed,'' ''heard from the doctor's office,'' ''on my way,'' ''missed the bus,'' ''pick up milk,'' or ''practice ended late.'' Not things like this:
''And then -- you won't believe this -- they plowed up my tulips. You know, the garden I planted … yeah … with my own money! I mean I would've moved them if they had asked me, but they didn't. So now hundreds of tulips won't come up because they have something against me.''
I'm starting this paragraph in my book for the fifth time and will keep going this time: ''That whole next day, in fact, I'm so hateful and angry that I fear for the life of anyone who crosses my path.'' Perfect!
''I mean, they got mad at me for giving a speech and not asking their permission! And I got them a $20,000 donation! Can you imagine this is how they treat me? I think I'm doing the right thing, I really do…''
That's it. I have to move or I'll lose my mind. Wait -- wait -- who's this? Husband, no doubt. Waving his arms in a ''we're leaving now!'' frantic kind of motion. Phone snaps shut. Off they go. Silence.
Back to my book: ''I don't want anyone to talk to me. I can't tolerate anyone's face right now.'' Perfect, yet again.
Here's the latest entry to my ''If I ruled the world'' list: Use your cell phone anywhere in an airport as long as your conversation lasts no longer than three minutes and I hear about one-third of it at best. If you plan to speak longer -- and more inanely -- you must be in a designated smoking area. You can also use the restrooms. So go ahead and yak for hours. You just have to hang out in the bathroom to do it.
Leave the rest of us in peace, with nothing but the F.A.A. terror-alert-raised-to-orange updates, the ''think 3-1-1'' tips about carrying on our toiletries, the gate-change announcements, the beeping cars and the ''your plane is in the air'' reassurances to interrupt our thoughts.
Renée A. James lives in Allentown. Her e-mail address is raaj3@msn.com
Teleshutterbugs Have a New Way to Share
WEST TRENTON - This year marks the fifth anniversary of the camera phone’s entry into the North American consumer market. These hybrid devices have come a long way, evolving from novelty status to producers of reasonably clear photos. Now Exclaim, a West Trenton provider of Web-based and wireless applications for sharing photos, video and sound, wants to teach cell phones a new trick: sending snapshots directly to a Walgreens pharmacy for printing.
Exclaim has rolled out its new Pictavision Teleprints application, which enables camera-phone users to forward their pictures to pharmacies run by Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreen Co. for printing.
While the Pictavision software first appeared in 2003, it only allowed users to upload their pictures to the Web for printing by dotPhoto.com, another service owned by Exclaim. In February, Exclaim introduced the new Pictavision version as the first consumer offering that moves photos directly from camera phones to a professional printing outlet.
“Basically we have taken out this whole step of having to send them to the Web and then print them,” says Jiren Parikh, vice president and general manager of wireless with Exclaim. “According to the Consumer Electronics Association for 2006, 9 percent of global digital pictures taken were taken with camera phones. However they are all sitting on the camera phone; they are not
going anywhere.”
The Pictavision Teleprints software is a free download available through one’s wireless carrier. It is available to Alltel customers, and will soon be offered by Verizon Wireless, according to Parikh. Sprint and Cingular will offer the application beginning in June, he says.
Once the application is loaded onto a camera phone, the user can send digital pictures to any of the more than 5,600 Walgreens in the mainland United States and Puerto Rico. Carriers charge users $1.99 to transmit an image; Walgreens charges 19 cents apiece for prints and will hold them for pickup or mail them out.
Lubna Dajani, chief executive officer of technology- and business-services provider Stratemerge in Westwood, sees the application as a way to distribute camera-phone pictures more widely among technophobes. “It’s interesting when you can send your photos to the local Walgreens where your grandmother is, or someone like that who is not digitally inclined,” she says. “I think they will do well with this service, especially if they don’t have too many competitors. It’s a good idea.”
While Web sites such as Flickr.com and Kodak.com make it possible to upload images from camera phones to the Web for later downloading and printing, Parikh says the process turns off many users. “Uploading that photograph and saying you are going to print it later, you probably just lost 75 percent of your audience,” he says.
Exclaim, which has 50 employees, split into wireless and Web divisions two years ago. Its primary investors are Lawrenceville’s Edison Venture Fund and Sycamore Ventures, which has an office in Princeton. Parikh says the company is profitable.
Printing camera-phone pictures raises questions of quality. Many camera phones take low-resolution photos that are unsuitable for printing in the usual 4-by-6 or 5-by-7 sizes.
In-Stat, a research firm in Scottsdale, Ariz., last year reported that only one in 20 camera-phone users printed their pictures or posted them online.
Exclaim says it adjusts print choices to best match a picture’s clarity. “Once our software is downloaded to your phone from the carrier, depending on the resolution quality, we give you options,” says Parikh. “If you have a 3.2-megapixel phone” that produces high-resolution photos, “it can give you an option for 5-by-7 photos. If you don’t, it’s going to limit it to 4-by-6.” He says the Pictavision software enhances the quality of low-resolution pictures before sending them to Walgreens.
“With camera-phone quality going up, even a 1.3-megapixel lens you have on a Motorola RAZR probably is pretty good for a 4-by-6 photo,” Parikh adds. Meanwhile, camera phones are becoming increasingly powerful; some have the capability of taking pictures on a par with inexpensive digital cameras. “You’ve got a 3.2-megapixel phone [on the market],” says Parikh. “That takes pretty phenomenal pictures.”
Advances in mobile phones typically happen abroad before reaching the United States. “In South Korea and Japan right now, the standard is four and five megapixels,” says Parikh. “We believe that by 2008, we’ll be at four megapixel phones [here] and after that it’s going to be five megapixels and up.” Cell phone picture quality could then rival that of many digital cameras.
E-mail to jpruth@njbiz.com
Nokia N95 3G Phone Review
The Nokia N95 was first announced in September 2006 at the Nokia Open Studio event in New York. The N95 has just landed in UK shops this month and has created quite a storm of interest in our 3G Forum. We are convinced the N95 will be remembered as the 3G handset that took us to somewhere new.
Of course, the Nokia Nseries is aimed at users looking to pack as many features as possible into one device.The full title for the N95 is the N95 Nseries Multimedia Computer.
Even before it had started shipping it had won an award ! This was from Popular Science magazine's "Best of What's New" Award in the publication's annual search for the top 100 technology innovations of the year.
The Nokia N95 offers a unique dual-slider device, including integrated GPS, a 5 megapixel camera, digital music player, full PIM functionality and support for 3G and HSDPA networks. Oh, and a full suite of N-series applications and an excellent Web browser (with Wi-Fi support).
Can the N95 weighing only 120 grams and with a maximum thickness of 21 mm really deliver all that Nokia claims. Well lets dig deeper.
It runs the latest version of the S60 software platform ( S60 3rd Edition P1 ). This means a new version of the S60 browser, a better RSS application, Flash Lite and more. It's all powered by a thumping ARM11 OMAP 2420 processor running at 330 MHz.
The unique two-way sliding design works as follows. Slide up to reveal the keypad and slide down to reveal the touch sensitive media player controls. With the player controls viewable, the screen powers into landscape mode. The player controls include forward, back, stop and pause play for the Music Player.
This is a reasonably light handset for a multimedia computer and the Nokia design team must be congratulated. With the phone closed the menu and normal key functions are accessible. The primary camera is at rearside along with a LED light / cover. For video calls, the secondary camera is located top front.
The Nokia N95 offers a powerful 5 megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/5.6 mm lens, auto focus and flash. Pictures are shown on the impressive 2.6 inch display. You can upload your photos directly from your camera phone to the Flickr online photo community. At 30 frames per second, you can easily capture moving objects.
The ring slider opens and closes the shutter. The camera switches on when the shutter is in the “ON” position. The screen is used as the viewfinder with the phone held horizontally. If you can use a digital camera phone, the N95 is similar to operate.
The result is a camera phone that produces results close to digital camera quality but with some limitations. The main observation would be limited sharpness / blurry results. However, unless you closely examine the results you may never notice anything adverse.
The full technical specification of the camera is is as follows :
Carl Zeiss Tessar 2.8/5.6 mm lens with auto focus
5 mega pixel (2595 x 1944 pixels) CMOS sensor
5.6 mm focal length corresponds to a 35 mm frame
Mechanical shutter with 1/1000 to 1/3 seconds
20x digital zoom
Focusing range: 10 cm (macro) to infinite
Macro range: 10 cm to 50 cm
Integrated LED flash, range up to 1.5 m
Flash modes: on, off, automatic
Capture modes: standard, series, self timer, video
Subjects: landscape, portrait, night, sport, macro, night portrait
White balance: automatic, sunny, cloudy, lamps, fluorescing
Color tones: normal, sepia, black & white, color saturation, negative
Speed: automatic, high, medium, low
Closeable flap to protect the optics
Looking at the technical specification above you can see there are plenty of features and options such as landscape, portrait, night, sport, macro, night portrait to experiment with.
We are told you can record video but didn't get that far as we wanted to concentrate on the match winning camera and on-board GPS.
The GPS is a crowd-pulling addition to the N95. According to Nokia, GPS can be accessed in 100 countries. Mars and the Moon are not included to-date. The Maps software application lets you view - would you believe downloaded maps !
Once you got the maps on your device you are ready to go. The maps themselves are free but you will need to purchase the navigational data from Nokia. This means that if you want real-time directions ( visual and voice ) you have to pay. We recommend you just purchase a week's worth to get started and see if the experience / package meets your needs. A very clever earner from Nokia.
The way it works is as follows :
- you search for your desired location by location, address or post code
- it jumps to your present location and displays this ready to track you
- follow the on-screen and audible instructions e.g. turn right etc.
Does it work ? Yes it does and it can be viewed in landscape or portrait mode. At the moment there is no speed camera or road traffic alerts but I am sure this will come. The search facility seemed a bit hit and miss but a route planned trip of 35 miles was okay. One thing to remember is that you need to have the bottom slider open to get the best GPS signal because this is where the antenna is situated.
The only issue could be that the downloading of maps from the nokia servers becomes slow. It will be tested over the next few months as there is a stampede of new N95 owners ready to join in. Of course, as its Free the stampede may turn into an avalanche.
One possible way to avoid this is to use your PC to download large maps onto your microSD memory card. In 2006 Nokia bought out Smart2go and the Smart2go application became "Nokia Maps". So checkout www.smart2go.com and save yourself a lot of wasted time. You could download the whole of London in one swoop.
The whole music player thing is slick and functional. Nokia’s music software lets you transfer tracks easily. There is also drag and drop possibilities. The sides of the phone house the stereo speakers and the sound was well balanced with a good feel. With a cutting edge handset like this you still need to be able to use your bins. So I'm glad to see the 3.5mm headphone socket.
Nokia has introduced a Mozilla type proprietary browser for the N95. I'm not quite sure what this means yet I know you can browse in portrait or landscape modes. There is a “fast browsing” option which speeds things up by displaying thumbs of the pages. Might be useful.
All the N95 applications and particularly the GPS must have an adverse effect on battery life. I feel that for phones with GPS the phone makers now need to include an official “GPS battery time” just like for talktime, videotime and standby time. During our tests we found it needed an evening charge each night. Our N95 had a Nokia Battery (BL-5F) 950mAH.
The bottom line for the N95 is that it is getting close, but at the moment cannot fully replace a dedicated digital camera or a sat-nav system. There are limitations. But HEY, a 3G HSDPA phone with a 5 mega pixel (2595 x 1944 pixels) camera and on-board GPS means its going to be very well accepted by all you mobile warriors out there.
The battery really needs to "go the extra mile". If it lets you down you will physically end up miles short of your destination.
A.C. school board's cell-phone bills dwarf those of other districts
ATLANTIC CITY — Some school board officials and employees have talked as much as 4,500 minutes a month on their school-owned cell phones over the past three years. The excessive use has created expenses that are much higher than similarly sized school boards.
The resort's school district has been charged with more than $140,000 in cell phone expenses since 2004, about $133,000 more than the amount Egg Harbor Township's school board incurred over the same years.
Egg Harbor Township's school board, which enrolls slightly more students than Atlantic City's, has also issued only 15 cell phones to district workers, while Atlantic City's district has doled out 105 phones — 12 of them for the city's school board members alone and a total of 62 active users as of January.
School Board President RaShun Stewart ordered the 12 board-member phones be disconnected in March after he became aware of extensive use by some members, including one phone that racked up about 4,000 minutes in one month.
That member, according to records, is Stephanie Davies-Khan, a political rival of Stewart, who accumulated 3,927 minutes in December 2006. Davies-Khan attributes her high usage to a flood at her Atlantic City home at the end of November, leaving her with little other than her school board cell phone.
Cell phones that fit your budget
The Qs, BlackBerrys, Chocolates, Blackjacks and Treos, and other feature-rich mobile phones -- with MP3 music players, PDA, cameras, Internet access and TV tuners -- that cost hundreds of dollars get the hype. But they can turn off technophobes and frustrate the frugal.
Good news: There are still loads of low-cost options available for people who want cell phones without laying out gobs of cash and who aren't necessarily infatuated with the bells and whistles.
A half dozen Sun-Times staffers tested low-priced phones from the major carriers. Generally, the less expensive, often bare-bones phones performed well. We also learned that if you spot a bargain, you probably should grab it because prices can change without notice.
Neil Mawston, associate director of the global wireless practice for Strategy Analytics, said that though the world market leans toward the high-end phones, there is increasing interest worldwide -- especially among new customers -- in ultra-low-priced phones. In 2005, only 1 percent of the global market opted for these phones. But the proportion is expected to increase to 7 percent by next year.
He said, "Low-cost devices can, potentially, be a useful, niche method of driving secondary handset sales in saturated countries. For example, an American buyer could use a Motorola Q smartphone during the office day, then take a cheap voice phone down to the club for a drink at night."
Sun-Times staffers tried out phones costing, with rebates, less than $50 from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon.
Our testers' favorites were a tie between the LG UX210, a silver flip from Chicago-based U.S. Cellular and the Motorola V325 from Verizon. The LG, featuring a one-touch speaker phone, voice-activated dialing and a melody composer to make your own ringtones, lists for $49, but can be had free with the easyedge application, which is a game and ringtone service.
The Motorola V325, featuring a camera and a speaker phone, was just raised to $70 from $30 when we started our test.
On the LG UX210: A fiftysomething tester from Rogers Park said the phone had a "nice compact design [and was] very user friendly. It was easy to figure out the functions without searching through the manual. Clear, bright display. All the musical tones you could want. Some functions that were new [to me at any rate] such as a tip calculator and a world time clock."
On the Motorola V325: A mid-twentyish Hyde Parker said: "Although it's not the best-looking, or most fashionable, the Motorola V325, covered with black rubberized material and a metal front and black center, has excellent reception."
Verizon offers a cheaper alternative: the free Motorola W315, no camera, but text messaging.<
Donate used cell phones
GLADWIN COUNTY -- Last month a coalition of Law Enforcement Agencies and Non-Profits came together to collect and redistribute used cell phones to any community member who needs a 911 phone in the event of an emergency.
The coalition is led by the nationwide non-profit organization “Secure the Call Foundation.”
The foundation hopes that citizens will help them collect old cell phones by asking the employees to bring in any unneeded cell phones they may have.
Once the collection is completed attach the prepaid mailing label and either give it to a US Postal Service mailman or drop it off at any post office.
Secure the Call Foundation takes the phones, inspects them, cleans them, charges their batteries and then reprograms them to be used as free 911 emergency phones. Any phone that can be turned on can access 911 services even without a carrier service plan.
Then the phones are distributed to domestic violence shelters, senior centers, neighborhood watch groups, school crossing guards and other agencies with an immediate need for 911 access. These free 911 emergency cell phones are available to individuals and organizations nationwide.
Last month Secure the Call held a press conference asking for community support. The response to the conference was immediate and substantial.
Many citizens need a phone. In fact, the foundation has received more requests for phones than it currently has available to give out.
Only send cell phones and batteries. No chargers or accessories. New chargers are donated to the foundation by one of its corporate donors.
For additional information on the program, prepaid mailing labels or to download a tax receipt for a donation, visit www.donatemycellphone.org or call 888-883-6628.
Let’s pitch in for Mayerthorpe
Do you want to be a part of the largest environmental campaign in Canada if not the world? Why not register early for 2007 Pitch-in campaign which runs April 23-29th.
Pitch-in Canada is a national non-profit and charitable organization, established in 1967. More than 3.5 million volunteers participate in thousands of projects each year. All share a common interest: to improve communities and the environment.
The 41st annual Pitch-in Canada Week campaign, Operation: Clean Sweep, will involve more than three million participants in more than 12,000 projects.
Free materials, including large yellow specially imprinted garbage and recycling bags, will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.
“Everybody is proud to use our popular yellow bags featuring the Pitch-in Canada logo,” said Misha van Veen, Pitch-in Canada’s program manager and former Pitch-in volunteer. “The number of participants and projects increased dramatically in 2006.”
Van Veen explained that volunteers can also obtain free materials to assist with the campaign for their project.
“We provide colouring books, posters, educational materials and so much more,” she said. “Just go to our online Resource Centre at www.pitch-in.ca.”
Van Veen says that volunteers love doing projects that benefit their local community and being a part of a project that is nationwide.
You can register for Pitch-in Canada week online at www.pitch-in.ca and the website will provide all the information required for communities and volunteers to plan their activities.
While many volunteers choose to organize clean-ups or fix ups of their communities, another good option is to organize a cell phone collection program.
According to Pitch-in Canada, modifications to provincial legislation aimed at recycling e-waste have consistently failed to include celular phones in the list of consumer products that can be reused and recycled.
“It is surprising that, considering the concern which Canadians have for maintaining a quality environment and the phenomenal growth in the recycling industry, that cell phones are still not included in the provincial recycling legislation across Canada,” said van Veen.
According to Pitch-in Canada, Canadian communities and the environment pay
the price by facing the threat of leaching toxins from landfills as a result of improperly disposed of cellular phones.
“Whether reusing and recycling obsolete cellular phones is made mandatory by legislation or promoted by private programs such as ours, we need people to know that cellular phones need to b e disposed of properly, and this can be done easily, locally and often benefits a good cause,” said van Veen.
Pitch-in Canada‚s National Cell Phone Program supports over 500 cell phone recycling collectors across the country. Local collector groups can register online at www.pitch-in.ca and set up the cell phone collection in their community using a provided starter kit. Once 50 phones are collected, Pitch-in Canada arranges to have the phones picked up.
“What is fantastic about our cell phone program is that all of our collectors are local,” explained van Veen. “They run their programs and reap the benefits from their collection program and they know that by educating their local community about the potential danger of improperly disposed of cell phones they are helping to keep toxins out of their backyards.”
Ringtones Not Ringing The Register
U.S. ringtone sales have steadily increased every year since 2003, but this year Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) is predicting that the ringtone market will see a decline. Their estimate is that sales for 2007 will be $550 million, down $50 million from 2006.
According to BMI, ringtone sales for 2006 were $600 million; $500 million in 2005; $245 million in 2004; and $68 million in 2003.
For the first time, BMI has released a U.S. ringback market estimate. A ringback tone is a music piece that a caller hears when they call another mobile phone. They estimate that for 2007 ringbacks will generate $65 million in revenue.
BMI's projections are from 520 million individual ringtone purchases, which have been examined for the past 12 quarters. They tracked data from 325 retail stores for the purchase of mobile entertainment in the U.S.
"As we forecasted last year, the ringtone market matured in 2006. The slowdown in ringtone growth, however, was partially offset by the first wave of promising U.S. growth in ringback tones," said BMI Vice President of New Media and Strategic Development, Richard Conlon.
"We believe that the ringtone market's growth has leveled off and the novelty phase has ended. We envision increased revenue opportunity in the streaming sectors of the mobile entertainment market, ranging from ringtones to audiovisual cellular phone TV-style offerings."
According to the Yahoo buzz blog searching for ringtones remains solid. Over the last week searches increased 32 percent while searches for free ringtones were up 10 percent.
Here are the current top 10-ringtone searches according to Yahoo.
1.Mosquito Ringtone
2.24 Ringtone
3Cricket Ringtones
4.Christian Ringtones
5.CTU Ringtone
6.WWE Ringtones
7.Crazy Frog Ringtone
8.Country Ringtones
9.Final Fantasy Ringtones
10.Bollywood Ringtones
Mobicom Says Goodbye to Paper and Plastic, Hello to CouponTxT and GiftCardTxT
NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/10/07 -- Mobicom Comm, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: MBMC), a leading provider of mobile content distribution, has made coupons and gift cards as we know them a thing of the past. MBMC has launched two new products in the U.S.: CouponTxT and GiftCardTxT. No more clipping or looking for that plastic gift card that Aunt Erma got you for Christmas.
CouponTxT can be sent right to a consumer's cell phone. It can come as a text message or as a full color coupon with barcode ready to use. CouponTxT also has the fulfillment built on the backend. So it redeems right at POP(point of purchase) which means an easier time for the retailer.
GiftCardTxT is a fully functional giftcard that is waiting on your cell phone to use at thousands of stores, restaurants, movies and more. No more calling an 800# to see how much you received or how much is left. You get a real-time balance right on your phone. You can add funds to it at any time.
About MobicomUSA
Headquartered in New York City, MobicomUSA works with leading content providers, media companies and marketers to help them monetize their assets across mobile channels. The company offers a complete turnkey mobile marketing solution, supporting direct-to-consumer campaigns such as SMS, MMS, Voice and WAP as well as a suite of tools to manage, track and evaluate all deliveries. With seamless integration into our partner's ad systems via available API, MobicomUSA is lowering the barriers for both publishers and marketers to distributing content to cell phone users. MobiCom USA is a carrier independent gateway. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.gotmobile.mobi.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications that may arise could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Media Contacts:
Richard Krueger
Mobicom USA, Inc.
Tel: (212) 784-9273
E-mail: rkrueger@MobiComUSA usa.com
Cell phones keep owners on invisible leash
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - When Martin Cooper made the first cell phone call in 1973, our future connection obsession was born.
Ten years later, the first U.S. wireless customers dropped $3,995 for the 10-inch, 28-ounce clunker (nicknamed "the Brick") created by Cooper and his team at Motorola. With it came the promise that now anytime, anywhere, we could reach out and touch someone. (Any time, that is, that didn't exceed the Brick's half-hour battery life.)
Today, Cooper's vision has been transformed into a camera. A calendar. A calculator. An alarm clock. A timepiece. A Web browser. An MP3 player. And ... a Breathalyzer? (Seriously - the LG LP4100. Google it.)
But really, the connection's all that matters.
Martin Cooper, meet 21-year-old Daniel Tapia of Sacramento, Calif., who must be connected to his friends at all times. His greatest fear? Missing a text from his buddies on the weekend. No signal = no fun.
Mr. Cooper, meet 25-year-old Gitzel Vargas of Natomas, Calif., who must be connected to her family at all times. Her greatest fear? Dropping a call from her sister, who's studying in Mexico. No signal = no peace of mind.
And then, Mr. Cooper, there's 24-year-old Avi Ehrlich of Sacramento, Calif., who must be connected to clients at all times. His greatest fear? Losing reception and thereby losing one of the musicians on his independent record label. No signal = no company.
They're connected, you're connected, we're all connected. Our Razrs, Treos and Nokias are our links to advice, amusement, attention, distraction, gossip, comfort, family, friendship. Reassuring you that you are not alone.
A bit of history: Analysts in 1983 predicted that by 2000, there would be 900,000 wireless users in the United States. Only business types - executives, sales staff - were expected to embrace the idea of perpetual connection. But hey, who wants to be left out? Everybody wanted in on the mobile lifestyle.
Doctors. Lawyers. Realtors. Plumbers. Shoppers. Bicyclists. Teenagers. Eight-year-olds. There were more than 100 million wireless users by the end of 2000, and 229 million at the end of last year.
Now we text while we drive, we talk while we shop, we call each other 14 times to hyper-coordinate a lunch date. It must be asked, Mr. Cooper - how could you do this to us? Where are you now, and can you hear us?
Because sometimes, our cell phones fail us. Sometimes, without warning, you're disconnected. Alone. Ostracized. No family, no friends.
No signal = nobody loves you.
That's what happens in the Dead Zone. Where all good cell phones go to die, at least momentarily. Moments that feel like eternity.
We can all name the Dead Zones: lecture halls at UC Davis, corners of the California state Capitol, stretches of Highway 50.
For Vargas, it's her entire apartment in Natomas - except her desk chair. She could lose her signal with the slightest movement. But if she's glued to her seat as she talks, what's the point of a mobile phone?
Rumor has it, Mr. Cooper, that your inspiration for the cellular phone came from "Star Trek," but Capt. Kirk's communicator always connected him to rescuers. It never gave him this much trouble.
About a one-fourth of all wireless calls have at least one problem, says a 2006 study by J.D. Power and Associates. Dropped calls. Disconnected calls. Static. Interference. Voice distortion. Echoes.
"Ever watch `24'?" He's always got perfect cell coverage," says Tom Farley, a telephone historian who lives in West Sacramento, Calif. "It's the most irritating thing. He never drops a call."
Oh, but we do. We plead with our phones to stay connected. We hold them at ridiculous angles; we press them tightly to our ears. We all have our own ways we are convinced help us keep a signal, and we all look slightly crazy doing them. How did we get here? Not that we're pointing fingers, but if we were, they're aimed at you, Martin Cooper. So where are you now?
"I'm not sure I appreciate the finger-pointing," answers Cooper.
We find the father of the cell phone - the man, the myth, the legend - on vacation in Vail, Colo. He's 79 years old now, owns six cell phones, carries three and pays the bills for 20 (sons, daughters, grandkids - it's a mega family plan). Of course, he is talking to us on one of those cell phones. He points out that before he called, the landline at his hotel went out. No one noticed.
So, Mr. Cooper, do you understand our obsession, our need to be have a signal?
Does he ever.
"When you've got that phone, you feel connected, you feel part of a group," says Cooper. "Who's the group? It's everyone in the world, on your cell phone."
So he's an engineer and a philosopher. Tell us more.
"Suddenly you're disconnected - oh my god, it's a trauma," he says. "Now all of a sudden, you feel ostracized. It's like when you were in high school, you're the person that nobody talked to."
Exactly. You get it, Mr. Cooper.
You created it, and you get it.
Don't you?
This is where father-of-the cell-phone parts company with country-obsessed-with-the-cell-phone.
Cooper is still founding new companies. Six months ago, he debuted the Jitterbug, a cell phone for seniors that doesn't text, take pictures, play music or change ring tones. One version of the phone has only three buttons, programmed to call 911, an operator or one relative or friend.
How un-cell-phone like, Mr. Cooper.
"My rule is, if you want to build something that does all things for all people, it's not going to work real well," Cooper says.
Wise words.
Because what we really care about is the conversation or the prospect of the conversation. That perpetual link. That digital umbilical cord.
Because the connection is all that matters.
We are connected; therefore, we are.
Itemizing employee cell-phone calls doesn't pay
Think businesses can save big bucks by monitoring employee cell phone use?
Think again, says a recent study from researcher In-Stat.
Many companies require employees with corporate cell phones to itemize and pay for their personal calls. But that rarely saves more than $20 a bill, says In-Stat wireless analysts Bill Hughes.
And the savings often are much lower — or nonexistent.
It usually takes about 10 minutes to itemize a cell phone bill, Hughes says.
Companies must pay employees for that time. The wage paid is often greater than the few pennies saved on the phone bill, he says.
"Splitting up cell phone bills is an exercise in futility," says Delly Tamer, CEO of cell phone retailer Let's Talk.
Yet 29 percent of the businesses surveyed by In-Stat required employees to itemize their bills.
That's probably because many companies adopted cell phone policies several years ago, when bills regularly topped $100 a month.
But now prices are much lower. They've tumbled about 10 percent in the past 18 months and continue to fall, Tamer says.
The average corporate cell phone bill for voice calls is about $62, Hughes says. (Data services, such as e-mail and Web browsing, cost extra.)
And today's cell phone plans usually let customers make hundreds of minutes of calls without incurring extra charges, Tamer says.
That makes it much less risky for a company to pick up the entire bill. It no longer makes sense to "nickel-and-dime employees," he says.
Dodd Technologies, an Indianapolis-based event production company, agrees. It pays for almost all employee cell phone calls. Employees are asked to chip in if they exceed a preset number of minutes a month, which is rare, says marketing director Bill Edwards.
Although the 30-person firm works hard to control budgets, "it costs time and money" to itemize a bill, Edwards says.
There are more-effective ways to lower cell phone costs, including:
Buying in bulk. Instead of buying individual cell phone plans, businesses can buy one plan for the whole company. The minutes purchased are shared by everyone, reducing extra charges and lowering costs, Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Brenda Raney says.
AT&T Wireless providestracking data that help companies monitor the plan, AT&T Wireless Vice President Joe Lueckenhoff says.
Many corporate plans offer unlimited calls to other cell phones from the same carrier, he says. That lets employees call each other without worrying about extra fees, he says.
Limiting data plans. Voice service may be inexpensive, but e-mail, text-messaging and other data services can easily make a cell phone bill top $150, Tamer says. Only offer data plans to employees who really need them, he says.